Jalel Brick is a pro-democracy activist, born on August 15, 1963, in Carthage, Tunisia. He studied in both the Manouba University of Arts and the University of Law in Tunis. He is one of the co-founders of UGET (General Union of Tunisian Students), and a former member of its cultural committee.
Although he is not officially affiliated with any left-wing parties, he identifies himself with the Leftist National Democratic Movement. During Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali's regime, he was tortured and arrested for his political ideas and activities. In addition to this, TunisianÂ authorities confiscated his passport and his ID. He was deprived from his civil rights and Â forced to live in the Tunisian desert for some time.
Brick moved to France in 1991, where he has continued to live and work as a real estate agent, although he is not a French national. Â Brick maintained his political activism while living in France, working with the French Communist Party (PCF). He visited Tunisia just before the popular uprising shook the country in October 2010.
Jalel Brick is most famous for his Facebook videos in which he criticizes Tunisian Islamists, the commander-in-chief of the Tunisian army, Rachid Ammar, and the former Prime Minster, Beji Caid Essebsi. Brick is strongly opposed to foreign interference in Tunisian affairs, such as by Qatar or the United States. In his videos, he speaks in the colloquial Tunisian dialect, and is famous for using many swear words, which contributes to Brick's popularity.
Jalel Brick alleges that he is wanted by the Tunisian judicial system. He is divorced and has two children.